Battery Park Esplanade

Looking for a place to go for a scenic jog, or just want to kill a couple hours with a leisurely stroll where you can stop every so often and literally smell the roses? Either way, the Esplanade has you covered.

Running the entire length of Battery Park City, from Stuyvesant High School on the north end to beautiful historic Battery Park in the south, the Esplanade offers walkers, joggers, bikers, roller-bladers, and, yes, even volleyball players a picturesque place to engage in their activity of choice.

The smoothly paved walkway is resplendent with painstakingly manicured gardens and parks, as well as sculptures and other public art installations, including Martin Puryear's Pylons. It also features an often in-use volleyball court for the energetic, plenty of park benches for the not-so-spry and the conveniently located World Financial Plaza for food and beverage pit stops (and free outdoor events).

But whether you're out there to break a sweat or relax with a cup of coffee and a newspaper, one thing's for sure: the Esplanade's glorious vistas will captivate you. Where else can you go for a jog or sit and read while soaking in views of the New York Harbor, Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty and -- last but not least -- the awe-inspiring shorelines of New Jersey? The answer: nowhere.

By Tom